San Juan mayor brims with confidence city can overcome P1B debt

MANILA, Philippines — San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora vowed to make ends meet as far as city funds are concerned, saying key infrastucture projects and programs for city folk will proceed despite a P1 billion debt left behind by his predecessor.

“They left behind a heavy debt but that does not worry us,” Zamora said in Filipino in a state of the city address at City Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 8. “We are using legal means to make San Juan progressive.”

“Even if our budget is scarce due to problematic contracts in the previous administration,” he added.

Zamora said the local government was left with a debt of almost P1 billion due to construction of the San Juan City Hall and expansion of the San Juan Medical Center.

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‘Public housing’

Zamora said his priority was completing the 22-story San Juan City Housing Building which would have 396 units for the city’s poor.

Zamora said the local government allocated 1,850 square meters of land at the village of St. Joseph for the building while the National Housing Authority will help with the construction.

The housing project’s groundbreaking was held last September.

Partnerships with private hospitals

San Juan City government also started partnerships with private hospitals to offer free or discounted medical services to city residents.

The local government unit partnered with Delos Santos Medical Center, Chinese General Hospital, Victor R. Potenciano Medical Center, Cardinal Santos Memorial Hospital and The University of the East – Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center.

“We began partnerships with well-known hospitals to give residents of San Juan cost-effective quality medical services,” said the mayor.

Improve schools, benefits for teachers

The local government promised to finish the renovation and construction of elementary and high school buildings.

Zamora said renovation of West Crame Elementary School, San Juan Elementary School, San Juan National High School and San Perfecto High School are ongoing.

He added that teachers were also given 10 kilograms of rice each and 375 laptops during National Teachers’ Month.

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